


SMS Romance

by aoigensou



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coming Out, Dirty Talk, Kinkalot, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Phone Sex, Pictures, Sexting, Snark, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Teasing, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:55:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26193745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aoigensou/pseuds/aoigensou
Summary: It started with a stolen phone and a handful of snarky messages.A romance told mostly through text messages.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 180
Collections: Kinkalot 2020





	SMS Romance

**Author's Note:**

> First place winner for Kinkalot 2020 main challenge 3: Kink Link!
> 
> Formatting this was a challenge. Cutting this fic down to 1000 words for the challenge was a challenge. I was riding the struggle bus for this week, but I'm really proud of what came of it.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it too!

**Morg**

send me a pic

Why? I just sent you one like last month of me with that cat?

had to factory reset my phone and lost it 😢

Merlin’s eyebrows raised. He had known Morgana for years, since they had met each other when they were young teenagers on a messageboard for a TV programme they both liked. They’d hit it off, and soon were inseparable, at least online. Truth was, Morgana lived in London and Merlin in Wales. Merlin’s mother never had the disposable income to allow Merlin to take a trip to visit Morgana— along with a slight protective streak that caused her to ask questions like, “Are you sure your friend is who she says she is?” and such— and Morgana had a strict father that was generally unwilling to let her go anywhere without supervision. Not that she didn’t find ways around that to have her own fun around London, but taking a trip to Wales was a little beyond her Houdini-esque escape exploits just yet. The two of them were first year university students, though— Morgana at UCL and Merlin at Cardiff University— and it was only a matter of time before either Morgana slipped away for a weekend or Merlin scraped together the time and funds so they could see each other properly.

So while they were strictly long-distance friends, they both called each other their best friend and Merlin liked to think he knew her fairly well. And using emojis was definitely not her style at all. She thought they were the harbinger of the decline of the english language.

**Morg**

O...kay. You feeling well?

Im fine

It’s just that you never use emojis

oh right  
that was weird of me  
lol

Another red flag. Morgana hated chatspeak with a passion. Merlin wondered who had got hold of Morgana’s mobile.

**Morg**

I don’t know who you are  
But when Morgana finds out she’s probably gonna skin you alive

When no other reply came through after a couple of minutes, Merlin tossed his mobile aside and forgot all about it, trusting Morgana to take care of herself.

***

**Unknown Number**

so are u and Morgana dating or what?

Who is this?

she talks to u all the time  
like ALL the time  
its pretty annoying actually

Is this the person that stole her phone the other day?  
How did you get my number?

Merlin frowned and opened his conversation with Morgana.

**Morg**

Hey I wasn’t going to ask because I figured it was your own business  
But what happened to the person that stole your phone a while back?

Oh, that was my brother.  
He’s been dealt with.

Merlin considered telling her that her brother hadn’t actually been dealt with, but figured he could have a bit of fun with him first. He switched back to the messages with Unknown Number, finding a few new ones.

**Unknown Number**

ur being pretty defensive  
should I take that to mean u *are* dating her?

I don’t see how it’s any of your business either way  
So piss off

u never sent me your pic

Ah, so this is the person who stole her phone

yes ur a deductive genius

And you’re Morgana’s brother

Merlin figured Morgana’s brother was just being the overprotective type and rolled his eyes as he tapped in a new name for Unknown Number and saved the contact. He wondered if he should tell the guy that there would never be anything more than friendship between himself and Morgana, considering he was gay as a pride parade, but held off. He wanted to see how far he could rile him up.

**Pratface**

u got me again well done u

The overprotective brother bit is cute  
I’ll play along, here  
_attachment: dumbselfie.jpg_  
  
So am I good enough for your sister?  
Oh wait this one’s better  
_attachment: haircut.jpg_  


huh

def not what I expected

Merlin felt his cheeks flush. Was that an insult or a compliment? It was hard to tell over text. He tapped on the photos to pull them up to fill the screen of his mobile, one after the other. He knew he was no expert at the art of the selfie, but he thought he looked nice in the first one, wearing a maroon long-sleeved shirt and thought his hair looked nice, even though he’d forgotten to shave the morning the first picture had been taken and looked a bit scruffy. But he thought the second one made him look kind of handsome, freshly-styled hair from the stylists’ and wearing a dark button down shirt.

He didn’t know what to say to Pratface in the face of such ambiguity, so he ignored any other messages for the rest of the day.

***

**Pratface**

u still havent said one way or another whether u and Morgana are dating

Haven’t you got tired of this yet?  
It’s been days, go away baby brother

Im her older brother idiot

Even better, you should be old enough to realise  
the “protective older brother” thing is outdated and misogynistic and stupid  
and Morgana can take care of herself

jesus I hate baby uni students

What’s your name, big bro?

ur Morgana’s boyfriend and u don’t even know that?

She doesn’t like talking about her family  
tbh I can see why

hey

I call ‘em like I see ‘em  
Just tell me so I have a name other than “Pratface” to call you  
Unless you like being called Pratface

Arthur

There, that wasn’t so hard was it?  
And for the record, Morgana and I aren’t dating

oh  
why

Merlin made a face at the phone and considered ignoring the question, before rolling his eyes. Time to see just how homophobic Big Bro was.

**Pratface**

The reasons are threefold

oh god here we go

Firstly, just because she’s a girl and I’m a guy doesn’t mean we have to date

I regret asking

It -is- possible for guys and girls to just be friends you know

why is this my life now

You’re the one that messaged me Pratface

why the fuck did I tell u my name if ur just gonna keep calling me pratface

I’m not sure you’ve earned the privilege of me using your name yet

I’m not jumping through stupid hoops to get u to use my name  
what’s the second reason  
lets get this wide eyed idealism over with

Right, second reason  
I mean have you seen her?

?  
yes? she’s my sister?

She’s intimidatingly beautiful  
Like scary gorgeous  
And you’ve seen my picture  
I’m just… me

I mean ur kind of hot  
for an insufferable idiot

Merlin bit his lip and set his mobile down on his lap for a moment to catch his breath after such an unexpected message. Arthur calling him hot didn’t mean anything other than perhaps he wasn’t as homophobic as Merlin had expected based on the few rants Morgana had gone on while drunk about the men in her family being bigoted Tory bootlickers.

**Pratface**

Thanks?

don’t read anything into it  
the stupid overrides the hot  
third reason?

Yeah the third reason is the most important

I’m dying to hear this  
its sure to be ridiculous

The biggest reason Morgana and I aren’t dating is…  
Are you ready for it?  
It isssss………..

fucking get on with it

She doesn’t have the right equipment to give me the dicking I require from my significant other

what

I’m gay

…  
ok

Merlin was almost disappointed with the underwhelming response Arthur gave. He waited, and when no more messages came through he tried his hardest not to care.

***

**Pratface**

can I tell u a secret

Merlin’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, wondering what Arthur was going to tell him, and if he should be friendly and supportive or continue their sarcastic banter. After unceremoniously coming out to him in their last conversation, Arthur had maintained radio silence for nearly a week and Merlin thought he had scared him away. Apparently not. Eventually, he decided on a combination of tones.

**Pratface**

Not sure why you want to tell me a secret considering you think I’m an idiot  
But sure, go for it

It was fifteen minutes later when Merlin’s phone vibrated with a message notification.

**Pratface**

me too

Merlin wrinkled his forehead as he tried to figure out what Arthur was telling him. He scrolled back up through previous messages looking for clues, before it dawned on him that Arthur was saying he’s also gay.

**Pratface**

Oh  
Cool

that’s all u can say?  
cool?  
after I go and tell u Im gay?

Well what do you want me to do, throw you a parade?  
Newsflash there’s already one every year, it’s called Pride

I have no idea why I thought this would be a good idea  
nevermind

Wait I’m sorry that was kind of dickish of me  
Congratulations I guess  
Morgana always said that the guys in her family were awful bigots  
So if you want to talk about that with me you can  
Or anything else really

thanks

***

**Pratface**

I never actually put it into words before  
Im gay  
I like cock  
my father is gonna murder me

Well you can’t live for your parents  
you have to live your own life

try telling that to dear old dad  
hes practically had my life mapped out for me since I was born  
down to the # of kids I should have

Maybe you should tell him you want to be your own man and fuck off with all that  
Who knows, maybe he’ll respect your maturity and courage and actually back off

maybe  
highly doubtful tho  
Im not sure the fallout would be worth the momentary catharsis

Yeah maybe  
You should also tell Morgana if you haven’t yet  
I promise she’ll be supportive  
She practically held my hand when I came out to my mum when I was 16  
As much as a long-distance friend can hold your hand

u think?

Absolutely

…  
Ill think about it

***

**Pratface**

I think you owe me a picture

It was the first time Merlin had initiated contact with Arthur instead of waiting for Arthur to come to him, and his heart was pounding. After their conversation with Arthur coming out to him, Merlin couldn’t stop thinking about him and wondering what it would be like to be Arthur’s friend. There was something in the snarky way they talked to each other that made Merlin smile, and he found himself checking his phone for messages from Arthur almost as often as he checked for messages from Morgana.

**Pratface**

After all, you have one of mine  
It’s only fair

that so?

Pay up

hold on  
_attachment: 210820_153847.jpg_  


Merlin looked at the photo, half-expecting a male version of Morgana. What he was faced with instead was some sort of ridiculously-handsome footballer-looking man that made his mouth go dry and his eyes nearly pop out of his head.

How the hell was it fair that Morgana’s brother was so fucking hot?! At least if he had been terrifyingly beautiful like his sister, Merlin could convince himself it was too weird to lust after someone who looked like his best friend. But the blond Adonis in the picture had just enough imperfections— a slightly-crooked nose to go with the slightly-crooked teeth in his slightly-amazing smile— to make him seem like he wasn’t completely unattainable.

Bugger.

**Pratface**

well?

Eh, I’ve seen better

Im sure u have  
wait Ill do you one better  
_attachment: 120420_171932.jpg_  


The second photo was even better as promised, a full-body shot of Arthur at some sort of event wearing a tuxedo, and Merlin wanted to cry at how hot Morgana’s fucking brother was. It just wasn’t fair.

**Pratface**

nice huh

Shut up Pratface, arrogance isn’t a good look on anyone

whatever everythings a good look on me and u know it  
someday Im gonna make u say my name

I do have some lovely hoops for you to jump through

fuck u its gonna happen just watch

Anyway there’s no way those are you  
They’re photoshopped to hell and back  
You’re catfishing me aren’t you

u wish  
hold on Ill take a selfie rn  
_attachment: 300820_150911.jpg_  


How was it possible that even such a goofy selfie was attractive? There was no way Arthur was real. Merlin groaned and buried his face in his hands.

He was definitely fucked six ways to Sunday.

***

**Pratface**

_attachment: cutecatatthestation.jpg_  


why ru sending me a cat pic

Because it’s cute

sure if u like cats

If you don’t like cats we can’t be friends  
What kind of monster doesn’t like cute cat pics?

cats r fine  
Morganas allergic so we never had any around

That’s a shame

I guess

Hey I have a question

?

What’s with the extreme chatspeak

what u mean

I guess it’s just weird after talking to Morgana with her proper typing  
You’re about as far from that as you can be while still being coherent

it was kinda an accident  
when I figured out it annoyed her  
I kept doing it and it sorta stuck

Oh  
Makes sense

Annoying Morgana is sort of my raison d’etre  
It’s my prerogative as her older brother  
Technically I can claim the same privilege to pester you as her friend as well

No that’s weird go back to the chatspeak

lol

***

**Pratface**

_attachment: merlinisbabey.jpg_  
  
Look at this dumb pic of some arsehole my uni friend took  
Shit sorry meant to send that to Morgana

what is that monstrosity on ur head

Shut up clotpole

setting aside ur stupid insult  
because it is really really stupid  
as well as ur continued inability to use my actual name  
why ru sending Morgana random pics

Sometimes we send each other pics  
It’s just a thing we do  
I have a ridiculous amount of pics of her when she was practicing makeup techniques  
So many smokey eyes  
So many failed cat eye wings

my condolences  
but srsly wtf are you wearing

Shut up, my mum made it

also how did u mix up me and Morgana

I’m used to her convo being at the top of the list  
Just habit  
Clearly we have to stop messaging so much so things can go back to normal

clearly

Merlin chewed his lip as he stared at the conversation. He hadn’t meant what he had said to Arthur, he rather enjoyed their conversations. But he didn’t know if Arthur had meant the reply, or if he was simply being snarky back since that was their thing. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to ask and find out. So he left it be.

**Pratface**

well if were sharing dumb pics of ourselves  
_attachment: 040920_121155.jpg_  


Nice Instagram filter  
You training to be an influencer or something?  
Am I gonna get a pic of you contorting yourself on some beach to get your best angle?

shut up  
dick

Pratface

istg

hahahaha

***

**Pratface**

so u have a boyfriend?

No  
You?

still not out to anyone but u

Yeah that’ll definitely limit your dating options

was thinkin about downloading grindr  
just to try and see whats out there

I tried that a while ago, but I’m not really the one night stand hookup type  
Might work for you though  
Get ready for an ocean of unsolicited dick pics

sounds fun  
I like dicks  
its still weird to say that out loud  
or on text

You think it’s fun until it actually happens  
The things I’ve seen  
I still have flashbacks

ur so dramatic

Download Grindr then come back and try telling me that

how bad can it be  
honestly

***

**Pratface**

OH MY GOD

Told you

***

**Pratface**

u ever had sex before?

Define sex

u had a cock in ur bum?

Then no

put ur cock in someones bum?

No

had a cock in ur mouth?

Yeah

what was it like?

idk, it was like having a cock in your mouth  
I was into it, I got off and so did he  
What about you, have you had sex?

I had a gf in sixth form and we fucked  
didnt really like it so we broke up after  
ever since I just watch gay porn when I need to to get off

I’m not one to judge since I watch a fair share of gay porn myself  
But that sounds kind of lonely when you could just go out and pull  
You’re in uni right?

yeah but I dont want my father to find out

That doesn’t make sense

didnt say it did

You could just go to a pub or a club and find someone  
You’re hot  
Guys’ll jump at the chance to fuck you  
Your dad will never know  
Nobody wants to deal with homophobic parents just for a hookup  
Unless they hate themselves

u think Im hot

That’s not what I said

thats exactly what u said

I mean objectively you’re hot  
Not like I think about you when I wank or anything

omg u think about me when u wank

I DON’T

u think I’m hot and u wank to those pics I sent

I hate you

who am I to ignore the needs of my adoring public

Nobody adores you I promise  
Everyone in the world thinks you’re a pratface  
Especially me  
You’re even saved in my mobile as Pratface

_attachment: 161020_231422.jpg_  


If Merlin thought the other pictures of Arthur were hot, the one he had just sent was smoking. It was a surprisingly tasteful nude that left out his dick and face, showing him lounging in the bathtub and lazily spraying water over himself using the handheld showerhead. Fuck, why the fuck was his best friend’s brother so hot? Merlin stabbed the power button with his thumb to turn off the display and threw his mobile onto his bed. It wasn't as though anything Arthur had said was untrue, which was almost worse than if it had been. Merlin had one off more than once to the thought of Arthur’s plush lips wrapped around his dick, of being pressed beneath his bulk into his mattress, of being fucked and fucking. But being called out on it was embarrassing and Merlin didn’t know what to say to make it stop.

His mobile vibrated several times with new messages, but he left it where it lay and went downstairs to find something else to do until he could face Arthur once more.

***

**Pratface**

so did u like it  
are u wanking right now  
I bet u are  
hey are u gonna respond  
hey  
hey  
hey  
fine be like that

***

Nearly a week later, Merlin finally opened his messages with Arthur and tapped out something inane to break the stalemate of silence between them.

**Pratface**

So who’s your favourite Doctor?

oh so now u wanna talk  
after ignoring me

Look I’m sorry  
I wasn’t expecting it  
And I got a little weird about it

look its fine if ur not into me  
my ego isnt that fragile  
no matter what Morgana says

Really it’s not that I’m not into you  
It’s just, you’re my best friend’s older brother  
And like I said, I got a bit weird about it

so u are into me

I swear to god if you start getting an ego about it

no no  
it’s good  
Im glad

Yeah?

I might fancy u back

I feel like I’m back in primary school all of a sudden haha

shut up

No it’s kind of nice

what u mean

Just admitting to fancying each other, it’s something I haven’t done in a while

well the things I think about u arent primary thoughts

Yeah?  
Tell me

u really wanna know?

Yeah  
Please

ok so  
sometimes I think about u stuffing ur cock in my mouth  
and cumming all over my face

Oh shit

and then licking it off my face  
sometimes I think about u riding my cock  
just bouncing up and down on it  
ur cock slapping against my belly  
I wanna see what u look like when u cum  
are u wanking right now

Should I?  
My dick is so hard thinking about you right now

fuck yes wank for me  
pull ur cock while thinking about my mouth on u  
think about how good it would feel with my hand on u  
jerking u hard and fast

Fuck I’m not gonna last long  
Can I ring you  
I want you to hear when I come

god please

Merlin used his left hand, which had been clumsily typing messages since his right hand was otherwise occupied, stroking his dick in a firm, smooth rhythm, to initiate a phone call with Arthur. Vaguely, he knew it was probably a bad idea and that it could end poorly if he let himself get swept up in the eroticism of the moment, but for once he ignored that part of his brain.

“Hullo?” a breathless voice answered after several rings that felt like an eternity. “Merlin?” Merlin shifted on his bed and spread his legs wide as he pressed the mobile to his ear.

“Arthur,” he moaned, his eyes falling shut as he changed his grip on his cock and continued tugging it.

Arthur laughed, low and sensual in his ear. It was both exactly how he imagined he would sound, and so much better. “Got you to say my name finally,” he said.

“Shut up, Pratface, and get me off,” Merlin groaned, though secretly the banter even in the midst of phone sex was doing something for him.

Arthur laughed again, and Merlin bit back a whimper at the sound. “I wish you were here, I would lay you down on my bed and peel your pants off you until you were naked and panting for me. I would spread your legs and lick your hole until you were begging me to fuck you,” he said, sounding more breathless with each word. Merlin imagined he could hear the sound of Arthur’s hand on his own cock, and let himself moan again so Arthur knew he was appreciating his performance.

“I would fuck you with my tongue, slow at first until you were grinding your ass against my face with the need for more,” Arthur continued.

“Shit Arthur, I’m gonna come,” Merlin said, the filthy things being whispered into his ear by Arthur’s painfully posh voice making him shiver with how close he was to his peak. “I’m gonna come,” he repeated, barely above a whisper as his lower belly clenched in preparation for orgasm.

“Yeah, come for me, do it Merlin,” Arthur urged. “Come all over yourself and pretend you did it on my face. Mark me as yours with your come.”

“Fuck!” Merlin exclaimed before a deep groan took over his voice with the force of his release. He held his cock as it throbbed in time with his heartbeat, pulsing ropey strands of come across his chest and even up to his chin before the remainder dribbled down his knuckles. In his ear were the sounds of Arthur coming, his grunts and groans sending another frisson of need up his spine. He smiled languidly and rolled over, wiping his hand on the duvet without caring that it meant he now had to figure out how to wash it without his mum asking questions.

Silence stretched between them as they caught their breath. It felt natural, not awkward as he thought it might, and he chuckled gently after a while of it.

“What?” Arthur asked. Merlin could clearly hear the smile in his voice.

“You watch too much porn,” Merlin teased. “What even was all that? ‘Mark me as yours with your come’?”

“Seemed to work for you,” Arthur pointed out, sounding more smug than he had a right to.

“Yeah whatever,” Merlin said.

“That was… nice,” Arthur said after several heartbeats.

“Yeah it was,” Merlin agreed.

“We should do it again sometime,” Arthur said.

“Yeah.” Merlin was starting to feel like a broken record.

“Morgana never said you were Welsh,” Arthur said, and Merlin groaned.

“Do you really want to think about your sister after we just got off?” he asked.

“I like your accent, it’s nice,” Arthur said, ignoring Merlin’s protests. Merlin felt himself blush.

“Thanks,” he said. “I knew Morgana was from a posh family, and you definitely sound it.”

“Shut up,” Arthur said, and Merlin laughed.

“I like it, though,” Merlin admitted.

A few more moments of silence passed between them, before Arthur broke it once more.

“You want to switch back to text?” he asked.

Merlin nodded, even though he knew Arthur couldn’t see him. “Yeah, I need to wash my duvet before mum comes home.”

“I wish I had been there to see you mess it up,” Arthur said softly, and Merlin felt his dick twitch with renewed interest.

“Me too,” he said, biting his lip before ending the call.

***

**Pratface**

Nine

What?

u asked which dr is my fav

Oh right  
Well I suppose I’ll just have to let you be wrong this time

let me guess ur a tennant fanboy

He is objectively the best Doctor

uh huh keep telling urself that

***

**Pratface**

So Morgana and I finally made plans to meet up in person in a couple of weeks  
If you wanted to tag along or something

Ill see what I can do  
convincing her to let me come (cum lol Im 12) will be a hard sell

I have faith in your powers of persuasion

with or without her Im coming to see u

Can’t wait

***

**Pratface**

Just so we’re even  
I figure I owe you  
Enjoy  
_attachment: forarthur.jpg_  
__

**Author's Note:**

> I would love to hear your thoughts!


End file.
